Watch Festival da Canção Live in Lisbon: New Public Access to Portugal's Eurovision Selection

The Portugal Broadcasting Corporation (RTP) has announced a public ticketing system for the 60th edition of Festival da Canção, marking a significant expansion in how residents and visitors can experience the nation's Eurovision selection process. For the first time, both semifinals and the grand final—scheduled for 21 and 28 February, followed by 7 March—will open their doors to a live audience of approximately 500 attendees per event, moving to the larger Valentim de Carvalho studios in Paço de Arcos, Oeiras municipality, Lisbon district.

Why This Matters

• Public access begins 1 February via social media registration; free or ticketed entry details pending.

• 16 competing songs across two semifinals; only five per round advance to the final.

• Portugal's Eurovision slot uncertain: 13 of 16 participating acts have preemptively rejected representing the country if Israel competes in the 70th Eurovision Song Contest, citing human rights concerns.

• Broadcast spans RTP 1, RTP Internacional, and RTP Play, ensuring diaspora and international viewers can follow.

Expansion to Accommodate Demand

RTP host Vasco Palmeirim revealed during a Lisbon press briefing that the move to the Paço de Arcos facility—previously home to EMI Valentim de Carvalho's legendary recording operations—was driven by logistics: "We need a bigger stage and a real audience. This isn't just a television exercise anymore." The infrastructure upgrade allows standing-room sections, seated tiers, and broadcast-quality production.

Interested parties must register via the festival's official Instagram and Facebook pages starting 1 February, though the Corporation has not disclosed whether attendance is free or if nominal fees apply. Given Portugal's tradition of accessible cultural programming, observers expect a lottery system prioritizing local residents and registered fan clubs.

The 16 Contenders: From Fado to Funk

Semifinal One (21 February) features:

• "Onde Quero Estar" (Agridoce)

• "Dá-me a Tua Mão" (André Amaro)

• "Nos Teus Olhos" (Bateu Matou)

• "Jurei" (Dinis Mota)

• "Pertencer" (composed by Djodje, performed by Mário Marta)

• "Sprint" (EVAYA)

• "Chuva" (Marquise)

• "Fumo" (Nunca Mates o Mandarim)

Semifinal Two (28 February) includes:

• "Rosa" (Bandidos do Cante)

• "Canção do Querer" (Cristina Branco/João Ribeiro)

• "Copiloto" (Francisco Fontes)

• "Doce Ilusão" (Gonçalo Gomes)

• "Um Filme ao Contrário" (Inês Sousa)

• "O-pi-ni-ão" (Jacaréu/Jacaréu e Ana Margarida)

• "Não Tem Fim" (Rita Dias/Silvana Peres)

• "Disposto a Tudo" (Sandrino)

Each semifinal winnows the field to five finalists, with the ultimate victor traditionally earning the Eurovision ticket—though this year, that pathway is clouded.

The Israel Boycott: A National Dilemma

On 10 December, a coalition of 13 artists—including Cristina Branco, Djodje, EVAYA's Beatriz Bronze, Rita Dias, Francisco Fontes, Gonçalo Gomes, Inês Sousa, and members of Bateu Matou, Marquise, and Nunca Mates o Mandarim—issued a joint statement to Lusa news agency: "With words and songs, we act within the possibility given to us. We do not condone violations of Human Rights." The group pledged to refuse Eurovision representation if Israel participates in the May finals in Austria, citing the Gaza offensive that has killed at least 67,000 people since late 2024, per a United Nations commission labeling the campaign as genocide.

Six days later, Dinis Mota added his signature, declaring he would withdraw if Israel remains in the contest. The remaining four acts—Bandidos do Cante, Agridoce, André Amaro, and Sandrino—have either declined to comment or issued measured responses. Bandidos do Cante stated they would "represent Portugal with responsibility, respect, and dignity" if selected, while Agridoce deferred the decision, emphasizing that music should be "a space of encounter, not division."

Precedent and Context

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which governs Eurovision, voted in December to permit Israel's entry for 2026 despite prior exclusions of Russia (2022, following Ukraine's invasion) and Belarus (2021, post-Lukashenko reelection). This triggered withdrawal announcements from Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Iceland. Portugal's public broadcaster now faces a Sophie's choice: honor its artists' consciences or fulfill treaty obligations to the EBU, of which RTP is a founding member.

Historically, Israel has competed since 1973—the first non-European participant—and has won four times. Its presence in 2025's Rotterdam edition sparked protests but not mass boycotts; the 2026 escalation reflects intensified global scrutiny over the prolonged conflict in Palestine.

What This Means for Residents

If you're planning to attend: Monitor RTP's social channels from 1 February; demand will likely exceed supply. Lisbon-area residents should budget for transport to Oeiras, a 20-minute train ride from Cais do Sodré station.

If you're rooting for Portugal at Eurovision: Be prepared for the possibility that the winner of Festival da Canção may decline to compete in Vienna on 16 May. In such a scenario, RTP could offer the slot to the runner-up or withdraw entirely, forfeiting Portugal's automatic qualification status (the nation has reached the final every year since 2017, winning in 2017 with Salvador Sobral's "Amar Pelos Dois").

If you're an artist or music professional: The boycott debate underscores Portugal's evolving identity as a hub for socially conscious artistry. Festivals like Festival da Canção increasingly double as platforms for political expression, particularly among younger performers who reject the "shut up and sing" ethos.

Beyond the Controversy: Celebrating Six Decades

The 60th Festival da Canção arrives at a crossroads, but its legacy endures. Since 1964, the competition has launched careers—Carlos do Carmo, Simone de Oliveira, Dulce Pontes—and weathered political storms, including the 1974 Carnation Revolution, when "E Depois do Adeus" served as a coded signal for military mobilization.

This year's lineup skews eclectic: expect Afro-Portuguese fusion from Mário Marta (via Djodje's composition), experimental folk from Jacaréu, and indie electronica from Nunca Mates o Mandarim. The Bandidos do Cante, a collective from the Alentejo region, bring traditional cante alentejano—a UNESCO-listed oral heritage—into the pop arena.

Eurovision 2026: What's at Stake

The 70th Eurovision Song Contest will feature 35 nations, down from the usual 40+ due to boycotts. The "Big Five" (France, Germany, Italy, UK, plus host Austria) automatically qualify for the 16 May final; others compete in semifinals on 12 and 14 May. Portugal's draw places them in the first semifinal, traditionally a weaker slot statistically but offset by recent track records—the nation has failed to qualify only once since 2017.

If Portugal withdraws, the EBU could invite a non-participating nation (e.g., Luxembourg, returning this year after decades) or redistribute voting weight. Either outcome dilutes Portugal's influence in a contest where cultural soft power translates to trade and tourism gains; the 2018 Lisbon Eurovision reportedly generated €50M in direct spending.

The Broader Picture: Culture as Battleground

Portugal's Festival da Canção impasse mirrors wider European tensions over art's role in geopolitics. Unlike commercial entertainment, state-funded cultural programs like Eurovision carry implicit endorsements; the EBU's refusal to exclude Israel—despite precedents with Russia and Belarus—has reignited debates over whether "apolitical" music competitions can exist in a polarized world.

For artists like Cristina Branco, a renowned fado interpreter, the boycott is existential: "We cannot sing about saudade and longing while ignoring the saudade of displaced peoples." For the Portugal Cabinet, which indirectly funds RTP, the stakes are diplomatic—Austria, the host nation, has historically aligned with Israel, and Portugal's NATO obligations complicate public dissent.

A Nation Watches, Waits

As registration opens 1 February, Portuguese households face a dual narrative: celebration of homegrown talent versus moral reckoning. Will 500 lucky attendees witness history—a defiant winner who honors the boycott—or a compromise that satisfies no one?

The Valentim de Carvalho studios, once synonymous with Portugal's golden age of música ligeira, now host a 21st-century crucible. Whether the festival crowns a Eurovision contender or a symbolic protest, one certainty remains: the songs will be sung in Portuguese, by Portuguese voices, for a Portuguese audience—and that, in itself, is a victory the dictatorship never allowed.